Chapter 93 Back Mountain
When the children are yelled at by the adults, they don't make a fuss; instead, they all run outside in a swarm.
It scattered like a gust of wind, impossible to grasp!
A row of people sat on the long benches of the long table. Luo Yin followed Xiao Fang and You Jie, watching them leave.
I really wanted to go up and say a few words, but as soon as I moved, I realized that the bench I was sitting on was a bit unstable.
One of them seemed to be about to stand up, and the three golden flowers looked at each other.
They all looked in that direction following the force, and sure enough, they found that someone had stood up.
"Hey, Xiao Yuan, quickly move over there."
Responding quickly, You Lizhu immediately sat down steadily, keeping her legs firmly on the ground to prevent the stool from tipping over.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was in a rush and forgot."
"Never mind, it was a close call."
They managed not to embarrass themselves in front of everyone. At this moment, they didn't care about anything else and, seeing that everyone had left, they unceremoniously occupied most of the seats.
"I've realized that we need to secure these two positions carefully, otherwise, who knows who will be the next one to get injured and fall!"
“That’s right, that’s right. Sister Xiaofang, you should let her know in advance when we leave the table,” Luo Yin reminded her, sitting to the side.
"No problem! You're my best friends and colleagues, don't worry!"
"Comrades who have come from afar, you can eat now. Please don't be shy, it's all simple home-style dishes." Village Chief Wang, who had finally finished his conversation, stood up and greeted them.
"Everyone, start eating! Our food is simple with very little meat. Please try to fill your stomachs first!"
Everyone smiled politely at first, then turned their attention to Elder Shi and Elder Zhuang.
Old Shi was better at communicating with people than Old Zhuang. He politely expressed his gratitude, saying, "These are all very good. It would be a lot of trouble for you to have something hot to eat."
"Village chief, we've troubled you all. Please don't be shy and try our cooking."
"Yes, yes, try them all."
Seeing the lively atmosphere, it was noticeable that the children and women around me, who were busy with their own things, were not at the table.
Luo Yin turned around and looked several times, and found that apart from the three of them, there was no other woman at the table.
Across from the village chief and the old man from Shilaozhuang, there were several other people of similar age, and even the boy was sitting on the edge.
"Xiao Luo, what's wrong? You don't like eating rice noodles?"
"That shouldn't be the case. We bought the same kind in town before. Could it be too sour?"
Today they are eating the local rice noodles.
After being simmered with specially pickled seasonings, and with plenty of seasonal wild vegetables and greens added, each bowl looks incredibly generous.
It smells sour and spicy, and is full of the aroma of rice noodles!
Although the three of them spoke in hushed tones, quite a few people at the dinner table still heard them.
Luo Yin immediately noticed several gazes sweeping over her, and she quickly responded.
“No, this looks delicious. I’m just wondering why the aunties aren’t coming.” She suddenly realized the atmosphere was a bit awkward and added, “And the little kids who ran out.”
Sister You put down her chopsticks and subconsciously glanced across at the other side, noticing that the expressions on the faces of the people opposite her had changed.
Village Chief Wang, however, remained calm.
She quickly patted her thigh, signaling her not to speak.
Seeing this, Village Chief Wang smiled and explained, "They've already eaten, so we don't need to worry about it."
"Haha, let's eat quickly, or we'll waste time."
After finishing breakfast, it was already broad daylight.
They had already seen the surrounding scenery and objects, and the ladies quickly cleared away the bowls and chopsticks from the dining table.
The three girls wanted to help tidy up, but they weren't needed, and the men took over.
The aunties said, "No need, it's a very simple thing."
Despite repeated refusals, they ultimately didn't get involved, but they did find some tools to tidy up the seats and the floor.
During the meal, Lao Shi and Lao Zhuang quickly became acquainted with Village Chief Wang. In particular, as they talked further, they discovered that he was indeed more knowledgeable and wise than they had imagined.
Wang Dazhi, true to his name, was someone his father hoped he would become a learned man.
However, reality did not allow it, so he could only learn hundreds of characters by himself from a primary school textbook. Later, he encountered turmoil and natural disasters, which made development in his village even more difficult. When he took over this position, many things happened in the village.
Now, he has become the village chief and has a son.
He didn't share his father's expectations of what kind of person his son should become.
However, he was still very excited to finally meet the learned person he had longed to meet since childhood.
Old Shi noticed his change, and whenever he talked about crops, planting, or house construction, Old Shi's eyes would light up as he looked at him.
Shi Xinrong then figured out his weakness, and gave a wink to the people around him, signaling them to get to work.
Leave the task of gathering information to him.
"Haha, Village Chief Wang, your arrangement is quite reasonable, but this place could actually be changed?"
Wang Dazhi was very humble, and his gaze towards him changed from wary to admiring. Teacher Shi was really amazing, a truly learned person. He could understand many of the things Teacher Shi said, and he didn't hold back at all.
"Ah, Teacher Shi, what do you mean? Actually, these are all passed down from the previous generation. There are many things I don't understand, so I'd appreciate your guidance."
"Hahaha, actually it's not difficult, it's just a matter of experience."
While Elder Shi and Elder Zhuang were fooling the person in charge, the people around them were not idle either. They started chatting around and asking about the people around them.
Luo Yin and the others followed several aunties to the backyard and found them carrying baskets on their backs, seemingly about to go out.
When they learned that the girls were going to dig for wild vegetables in the mountains behind the village, they wanted to go with them.
"Little one, there's nothing over there."
"Yes, it's all overgrown with weeds, there's nothing to see."
Many of the older women came to dissuade them, fearing that the girls might actually follow suit on a whim.
"Aunties, our leader is talking to the village chief and won't be leaving for a while. We haven't done anything since we had breakfast, so we're really sorry. How about we go with him and do some work?"
“Yes, yes, we can help out. I’ve dug up wild vegetables at home before,” said Sister Xiaofang.
"I'm strong, I can help carry the basket," Sister You said.
Seeing how earnest and sincere they were, and considering their meaning, the woman in charge simply agreed.
"Haha, we don't need you guys at all, but if you really want to go, then go ahead."
The three of them, upon hearing the agreement, looked at each other and excitedly hugged.
Soon, the three of them, each carrying a small tool, followed behind the auntie.
They walked along the smooth path, following the trail of lush green meadows.
People would occasionally ask them questions along the way, and simple information would come out of their mouths.
The three also learned that the aroma that Luo Yin had smelled earlier was indeed from their cooking, because one of the aunties was talking about the happy event in her family yesterday.
Her daughter-in-law had given birth to a big, healthy boy, and she was so happy that she made her some chicken soup.
"I'm a junior member of the family now, so I need to work a few more years to buy good food for my grandson."
“Oh dear, Yang family daughter-in-law, you can just say these things to us. We hear them a hundred times a day anyway. But what are you saying to those young girls? They are all young girls.”
"Exactly, look at these young girls, none of them are married yet, are they?"
When the topic turned to them, the three of them, aside from the initial awkwardness, did not feel shy or coy.
As the most rebellious child, You Lizhu was already used to this question, and only gave a stiff smile as a response.
Sister Xiaofang looked over boldly, her eyes brighter than ever before, and shook her head!
Luo Yin, on the other hand, didn't care at all. She thought she was still young and underage, and it was illegal for her to say such things!
The women were taken aback by the reaction and stood there stunned for several seconds before someone suddenly clapped their hands.
"Oh my, look how quick those girls are to react, we're all getting old."
"Haha, alright, alright, hurry up, we're almost there, cheer up!"
"Girls, the road ahead is difficult to walk on, so watch your step and don't slip on the stones."
An older woman enthusiastically pulled them to the back of the line, saying, "Yes, yes, this place is a bit messy. You three walk in the middle, and I'll walk at the back."
The three thanked him politely again, and only after walking closer did they understand why he had been told to be careful.
Unlike the smooth path before, this path now seemed to grow on rocks, with jagged stones that hurt the feet and weeds that blocked the view.
You have to be careful with almost every step, because no one knows what you'll hit if you step on one of them.
"Be careful, come this way, it'll be over soon."
The three of them stumbled along, following closely behind Aunt Yang, managing not to fall behind.
Fortunately, their trouser legs were tightly tied, and despite some wear and tear, they made it across safely.
After they left, Sister Xiaofang asked about the situation in that place.
The aunties couldn't explain it clearly, but it's said that it existed a long time ago. This place was originally a large stone mountain, densely covered with many stones of different sizes, which they later collected and used a lot of.
After that, none of these were wanted or cared for, and they gradually fell into disrepair.
"Don't worry, there are plenty of wild vegetables in the area we're going to right now. I'll point them out to you when we get there."
"Yes, yes, look at that tall and thin one, it's delicious when blanched and served cold."
"This is tender. It will taste good if we take it home and add some chili and minced garlic."
The three followed to a place called the back mountain, where a majestic valley could be seen in the picture, covered with many tender plants.
The gentle slopes are covered with clusters of bright and colorful wildflowers.
A place that makes you feel relaxed at first glance can subconsciously improve your mood.
"Mmm, the air is fresh, it feels so good!" Luo Yin said, taking a deep breath.
Sister Xiaofang was full of anticipation, "It's really a very comfortable place, I want to run around here a few times."
Sister You crossed her arms and looked around. "Hmm, it's perfect for camping."
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